


Flames and Bone

by ClassySansyPansy



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Cute, Depressed Sans (Undertale), Drunk Sans (Undertale), Eventual Relationships, Fluff, Protective Grillby (Undertale), References to Undertale Genocide Route, Sans (Undertale) Has Night Terrors, Sans (Undertale) Remembers Resets, Slight Smut, Smoker Sans (Undertale), Worried Grillby, sansby - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-19 14:37:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20324041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassySansyPansy/pseuds/ClassySansyPansy
Summary: When Grillby realizes that Sans has more problems than he thought after the comedian spouts out his life story while drunk, the worried bartender offers his support in the only way he can think to. A bumpy relationship follows suit, and it eventually smooths out into what could only be described as the perfect situation for both of them.Enjoy! <3





	Flames and Bone

"Sooo...how...how can ya talk? Yanno, with no lips an' all? Heheh, I--" Sans nearly fell off the bar stool he was sitting on, losing his balance as he leaned forward halfway over Grillby's counter. "--whoops! I...m-meant to do that," he slurred, his eyes half-lidded.

"...I think you've had quite enough, Sans. Papyrus will have enough trouble getting you home as it is, now. Give me the bottle before you pass out on my establishment's floor for the third time this week..." Grillby frowned, extending his hand to grab Sans's bottle of vodchup...a special mixture of ketchup and vodka that the skeletal comedian had come up with, himself.

"Aw, c'mmonnn....ain't we havin' fun, Grillbz?" Sans subtly moved the container from the bartender's reach, raising his skeletal brow with an uneven grin. "Dontcha just...wanna let me drink some more?" He hiccuped, taking a quick swig right before Grillby snatched it from his grasp.

"No more, Sans. Oh, and tell me how you plan to get home. I don't think I'm going to call your brother, this time. He needs a break from your...drunken antics..." Grillby sighed, setting the bottle on a low shelf just below the counter.

Sans pouted, folding his bony arms on the bar's new marble surface before resting his head on them. "...'s not fair. An' ya still haven't answered my question, yanno...'bout your mouth."

"Ah, but you haven't answered mine, my dear lazy customer. I'm serious, Sans...I'm not going to be calling Paps, tonight. On top of that, you told me your cell phone was dead...correct? So you better be planning on how to get home," Grillby replied in his Southern drawl, adjusting his glasses as he eyed the smashed comedian.

"S'alright, I'll jus' use my shor-"

"No shortcuts, either. Last time you tried one of those complex things while wasted, you ended up halfway through my roof. I could see your legs dangling from the ceiling. It was expensive to repair it, and I won't allow you to risk that again." Grillby shook his head, flames licking this way and that from the top of his fiery head.

"...too cold to walk," mumbled Sans, whining like a child. "Fell 'sleep in the snow las' time. Paps wannit' too thrilled 'bout it..."

Grillby rubbed his forehead, closing his eyes in exasperation. "I'm sorry, but that was your problem. You knew your limit, and you chose to go over. Look...the bar closed a half hour ago, and I let it go since you come here so often. However, I've got to get home and make sure my daughter got to bed alright. Besides that, I'm tired. I'm gonna ask you to leave once, and then I'm going to head out...got that?" He opened his eyes again, also raising an eyebrow.

"...'m tired, though. Some sleep sounds great 'bout now...just wanna rest my eye sockets for a bit..." Sans closed his eyes, letting out a muffled sigh into his sleeves.

"Please, not another one of your power naps!" Grillby threw his hands up in the air, feeling defeated. He began to pace, adjusting his bow-tie. After a moment, his eyes widened in realization. "...ohh. Ohhhhh. Ha. Can't believe I haven't thought of this, before. You don't want to have to confront Papyrus about this, do you?" He stopped in his tracks, glancing at the half-asleep skeleton.

"...mmmaybe. Heh heh...you think too much. Didja' know that?" Sans slightly opened his eyes, his cheekbones tinged a bright blue.

"Thought so." Grillby sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Explains a lot. ...are you alright? It's just...well, you've been coming much more often than you usually do. I've been holding off talking about this until now, but for you to keep yourself from your brother? It's not like you, Sans."

The skelly lifted his head, a weak scowl plastered across his face, clenching a fist. "I'm perfectly fine...no need for concern, buddy." He paused, then laid his chin back in his arms like nothing was said.

"We've known each other for many years...you know you can trust me. You don't have to-"

"Shaddup and forget about it, pal. Nothin's wrong. I'm fine."

The bartender almost flinched when Sans said this, the skeleton's tone deathly serious and with a warning note but his expression calm and stoic, eye sockets pitch black. It was strangely unsettling for Grillby in a way he couldn't describe. ...he usually wasn't easily intimidated.

Almost immediately after, the pinpricks of glowing magic in Sans's cavernous eyes relit themselves, and he looked away.

"......" Grillby glanced down, nervously wiping down the counter. He forced a chuckle, still unnerved yet lighthearted. "I'll take you home, Sans. I think you need the company. That sound fine to you?"

"...dunno. I can do it jus' dandy by m'self. See? I-" Sans sat up straighter and swung his legs around to the back of the stool before attempting to stand. It didn't work very well; his legs felt like jello and he had to abruptly grasp at a chair close by him to keep from collapsing. "-I...crap. Nn..why's the room...spinning?" He closed his eyes, putting a hand to his skull.

"I doubt you'd make it five feet without falling over. I'm taking you home. No discussion, Sans...you're drunk." Grillby placed his hands on his hips, watching him.

"...'m not drunk. Y'must be drunk, Grillbz. I only had..." Sans leaned back against the stool again, opening his sockets. "Uhm...had three bottles of the stuff, 'think. Just a bit tipsy, s'all."

"Your limit's four. You know that. You're lucky you're still able to stand at all. Now come on, let's get you back to your brother."

"...'k. A' least can I have that fourth one? Don' care if it's a shot or not, jus' need another one...for the road, yanno?" 

"...promise not to ask for an extra one for home after this?" The bartender turned on his heel and grabbed a full bottle of vodchup before handing it to Sans, who suddenly seemed distracted.

"Not like it'll do any good, anyway...promises don't last. Heh heh...but you wouldn' know a thing about that, would ya? You always forget, ev'ry time." The skeleton gulped back some of the beverage before gazing at his friend. "The fucking brat's fault...y'know what, I don't care. C'mon, les' get going. Paps is prolly' freakin' out." He stuffed the bottle in his hoodie's pocket and waited.

"Ahem...what are you talking about? I...forget about promises? I actually don't ever recall promising you anything. Have I missed something?" Grillby took his suit's jacket out of a cubbyhole underneath the counter and pulled it on, looking Sans straight in the eye the entire time.

"...welp. That slipped out. Didn't mean to-

"Anytime you drink at my bar, you don't mean to do many things. This time, I'm going to need you to elaborate. Got it, Sans? I'm not going to accept 'didn't mean to' anymore, even if you are wasted."

"..."

Then, to the fiery monster's surprise, Sans began to tear up. Grillby wasn't expecting that, and his expression showed it.

Sans chuckled through his tears and wiped his eyes. Pain could be heard in his voice, as if he was holding it back for a long time. Grillby assumed that was true. He knew Sans didn't talk about his own problems much...therefore it must've been a lot he was hiding. The bartender just wished he wouldn't continue to let himself suffer, whatever had happened.

"What's the point? Not gonna remember it, anyway." Sans was close to sobbing at this point, seeming to be trying to hold it back.

"Pardon? Who..?"

"You." Sans shrugged, motioning to Grillby. "Never do. All..." here, the skeletal comedian hesitated before he resumed with tones of both relief and desperation in his deep voice, "...all those resets, the chats we've had, you haven't remembered one. Guess I can't change that, but...it'd be nice for ya to just...know. Yanno? Tried everything to stop the damn kid, a-and..." Sans trailed off, finally letting out heavy sobs, his usual grin fading. "I c-couldn't stop 'em, 'n then when she...m-murdered..."

"Excuse me? I'm afraid I'm confused."

"...I know, Grillbz. I know ya are..." Sans sniffled, trying his best to compose himself yet mostly failing. "Sorry. I think...you've met the kid in this timeline, haven't you? Dunno...guess what I'm tryna say is...they have this power, yanno? They've used it several times, now. Last few uses, they got bored...and just guess what they did? They had to go n' kill off my bro. Everyone else, too. Tried to warn him, but they g-got to him before I could...I...welp. Point is, I've had so many chances to kill 'em where they stood, an' they got me too. ...so many chances, Grillby. I never do anything right. I-I...never can protect Paps from-"

"Whoa there, Sans! Take a deep breath. Calm yourself. Hyperventilating never helped anyone." Grillby had made his way to the front of the counter and sat next to the skelly, concerned and slightly perturbed.

((I will update this when I can. Thank you for reading!


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